Chu He Winery

October 1, 2057—Chu He's eighteenth birthday.

Early morning, Villa 207 in Jinxiu Residential District.

The second floor of the villa had four enormous rooms: a spare bedroom, a home theater, a bathroom, and a huge Martial Arts Hall.

The Martial Arts Hall alone covered a full 120 square meters, taking up almost half the entire second floor.

Chu He sat cross-legged on the carpet, dressed in a loose white training outfit.

Three streaks of flowing light circled rapidly around him, tracing all kinds of paths through the air.

They were like three stars moving through endless space—sometimes drawing apart, sometimes crossing paths, sometimes circling back. They were nimble and swift.

After a while, the three streaks slowed to a stop and hovered in front of Chu He. They were three flying daggers.

"My ability to control objects from a distance is only good enough for me to control three at once. If I try to control four or five, their speed and power will drop sharply."

Two days ago, after analyzing all the Spirit Machines contained in dozens of medicinal herbs, Chu He still hadn't managed to put together a complete Wine Recipe without side effects.

He had then tried analyzing other materials in the house, such as Northeast rice, various fruits and vegetables, and even building materials like glass bottles and floor tiles.

Perhaps because there wasn't enough of them, these ordinary materials yielded only the faint traces of everyday life, even when he managed to extract Spirit Machines from them.

Even the White Jade Wine Pot couldn't produce a complete Wine Recipe.

In the end, there were simply too few Spirit Machines.

This had helped Chu He understand one thing: to brew wine that would perfectly benefit someone at his current level, he would need to analyze a great many materials.

And that was nothing compared to brewing wine capable of affecting the undying.

Harmonizing the Spirit Machines of heaven and earth was no mere figure of speech.

It made sense. If it took rare Cosmic Wonders to brew such wine, then the Wine God Inheritance couldn't possibly make it using materials that, while not exactly ordinary, were far from rare. The number of different ingredients required would have to be astronomical.

That meant Chu He needed a clear understanding of the Spirit Machines contained in a sufficient number of materials.

To analyze enough Spirit Machines, he would have to make frequent trips to the Wilderness Zone.

So, over the past two days, Chu He had been preparing all the equipment he would need for his first proper trip to the Wilderness Zone.

Combat Suits, Combat Boots, War Blades, shields, flying daggers—he needed to choose equipment that suited him and get familiar with it.

That was why Chu He had come to the Martial Arts Hall early that morning to practice controlling flying daggers with his Spiritual Force.

"With my current Spiritual Force, my flying daggers' speed and power have both just about reached the Intermediate War General level."

"I should be fine on my trip to the Wilderness Zone in a little over twenty days."

"As for Luo Feng..." Chu He thought it over carefully.

"The Extreme Martial Arts Gym won't officially announce Luo Feng's death until a year from now."

"Only after that will Vulture and Scorpion dare to use those underhanded tricks against Luo Feng's family."

"A year... That's enough time for me to grow stronger!" Chu He was full of confidence.

Before receiving the Wine God Inheritance, Chu He would never have been so confident.

The Wine God Inheritance was simply incredible. Especially after personally analyzing dozens of Spirit Machines two days ago and obtaining more than ten Wine Recipes with severe side effects...

All of it had convinced Chu He that if he analyzed enough materials, his strength would soar as easily as drinking water.

"Big brother, come down for breakfast!" his mother called.

"Coming!" Chu He shouted back. He changed quickly and hurried downstairs.

Chu He's breakfast that day was a bowl of longevity noodles, topped with two poached eggs.

Fresh scallions had been chopped into tiny green pieces and sprinkled over the milky-white broth. With the eggs and noodles, the sight alone made Chu He's mouth water.

After breakfast.

"Big brother, come on. I want to show you that great thing I told you about." Chu Tianxiong called to Chu He, who was lounging on the sofa and letting his food settle.

"Something great? Take me too! I want to come!" Chu Xi appeared from who knew where, loudly insisting on joining them in the car.

"All right, all right! We'll bring my Xiao Shuili along!" Chu Tianxiong scooped Chu Xi up and rubbed his scruffy beard all over the little girl's face.

The three of them drove toward the outskirts of Northeast Base City in Chu Tianxiong's sports car.

Before long, a medium-sized distillery came into view.

"Big brother, look. This distillery is yours now!" Chu Tianxiong got out and nodded toward it.

Huh? This was the great thing you said would be my coming-of-age gift?

Chu He got out with Xiao Shuili in his arms. At a glance, he spotted the distillery's sign: Chu He Winery.

Well, damn!

That was fast!

Chu He looked down at Xiao Shuili in his arms.

Fortunately, the little girl was sleepy from the ride and had her eyes half-closed. She hadn't heard what her father said.

He had only promised her two days ago that he wouldn't make any more chili water...

Besides, he would need Spirit Machines for brewing wine. What use could a distillery be to him—well, maybe it really could come in handy!

Chu He suddenly thought of those dozen or so Wine Recipes.

They listed raw ingredients, not the Spirit Machines Chu He had extracted.

But...

"Old man, how much does this distillery produce in a year? I don't have time to come here and run a business every day."

Even if it was useful, Chu He couldn't see how he'd make use of it!

Doing business on Earth was so low-class!

It didn't fit his career plans at all.

"Don't worry. I just wanted you to know you own a business now." Chu Tianxiong didn't even feel like taking Chu He inside for a look. As soon as Chu He had seen it, he went straight back to the car.

"Your old man also bought a big restaurant downtown. I just renamed it Tianxiong Restaurant."

Chu He carried Xiao Shuili back to the car too.

Chu Tianxiong lowered the window and rested his arm on it, looking a little wistful. "I'm getting old. I've lost my drive. I won't go adventuring in the Wilderness Zone anymore."

"I'll open a big restaurant in the Base City and live a quiet life. That way, your mother won't have to worry about the two of us."

Chu He fell silent for a while.

He knew his father wasn't quitting because he was "getting old" or had "lost his drive." He simply didn't want Chu He's mother worrying at home about them both.

Chu Tianxiong continued, "Hey, you brat. You'd better make your old man proud. Don't go dying for no good reason out in the Wilderness Zone, got it?"

"Ptooey!" Chu Tianxiong suddenly spat out the car window. "Damn it, I never thought I'd be saying things like this."

"I really am getting old!"

"Dad!" Chu He spoke up. "Don't worry. Your son here is way stronger than you."

"Take half the production line at the distillery and turn it over to making juice for Xiao Shuili."

At the mention of juice, Xiao Shuili's sleepy little face immediately brightened.

"That's right! Juice! Juice is yummy!"

The little girl's enthusiasm broke the slightly somber mood.

"All right! I've got Xiao Shuili's needs covered. You don't need to get involved." Chu Tianxiong rolled up the window and started the engine. "I'll manage your distillery along with the rest."

"For now, just go out to the Wilderness Zone with your Uncle Hu a few times. Once you've proven yourself, you can go out on your own. Got it?"

"Understood."

On the narrow road in the outskirts, the sports car vanished within moments.